Transversely sliding railway frog



Sept. 21, 1948. A. L. vlssA'r 2,449,757

TRANSVERSELY SLIDING RAILWAY FROG Filed Nov. 2v, 1944 INVENTOR A/vr/lalvv L.. wss/vr ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1948 Nital) stares Yervaar ortica y TRANSVERSELY SLIDING RMLVVAYFRUG anthony L. visser, rittspargara. Application November 27, 1944, Serial No. 565,253

1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to a transversely sliding railway frog employed `for effecting the crossover from one railroad track to another, andwherein the interruptions in the fixed rails are completed by rail portionsearriedxby a movable frog plate which is shifted in .unison with the switch.

Important objects and` advantages of the invention are .to provide a railway frog of the .character described, which is entirely constructed of assembled rolled steel instead of steel castings and in consequence provides .a stronger and more durable frog structure, which `eliminates all rail gaps .and the necessity `for guard rails, `which maintains the fixed rail ends in perfect :level alignment with the frog rails at all times and under all. conditions, which is flxedly held in proper position 'by the travel of the engine and cars thereover, which may be readily kept in cleaned ,condition, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, compact, conveniently operable, and comparatively economical in its manufacture, installation, and maintenance.

With `the foregoing :and :other objects in view which will appear as the description` proceeds,

the invention `resides in the novel construction,` combination and arrangement of parts-herein specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts `throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway frog constructed in accordance with the invention with the frog plate being positioned to complete the xed rails of 'the main track. f

Figure u2 -is a side elevationalview thereoi.y

Figures A3, 4 and `5 are sectional views of Figure y1 taken on lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5--5, respectively.

Referring in detail to the drawing` l denotes the cross-ties upon which the improved frog structure is supported. A flat, elongated, and comparatively narrow base plate 2 is permanently xed and secured upon the cross-ties by means of spikes or in any other suitable manner. A pair of similar, flat end plates, respectively indicated at 3 and 4, are positioned flatly against the top of the base plate in spaced relation and at respective ends of the latter. The end plates are permanently fixed to the base plate by welding and by a plurality of rivets, respectively indicated at 5 and 6.

The pointed rail end 1, comprising the converging railmembers 8 and 9, has its pointed terminal permanently secured against the top of the end plate 3 `by welding and by means of a plurality `ofrivets 15. The rail members lil vand 9 are further ,supported and secured by :an interposed ;liller block Il) and .by the iish plates .il and b,oltsl2, which `latter extend through the sh plates and rail members Sand 9.

The spaced rail end I3, `comprising the `convergingrailmembers 114 and 4l 5, has its rail spaced terminal permanently secured against the top of the end :plate 4- by welding and by means of the rivets .6. The railtmembers M and l5 are further supported and secured by an interposed vand recessed `iiller .block If, and fby the sh plates l1 and bolts i8'.

A at ffrogfplate i9 is positioned iiatly on the top tof the fixed "base plate 2 between the inner ends of respective end :plates 3` and 4. The thickness :of theirog plate is identical to the thickness of the `end plates, .so that the top surfaces `ci the latter and of rtherogplateextend on an even plane.

A pair of `spaced `converging rail members 2U and 2l are permanently xed' to the top of the fregwplate @L9 by welding and by means of a plurality Aof rivets 22. The rail members '2li ,and 2l are lturtliersecuredby a pair `ofiiller blocks 2-3 land 24 which are interposed at-respectiveends of said rail `members land 'secured by fish plates 25 and bolts 2-6.

The rivets f5', -6 and 22 are 4arranged in staggered relation Von 'opposedsides oi respective rail members, and wherenece'ssary the embodied fish plates and `filler blocks are rnotched` to `provide clearances for the rivet` heads, as illustrated in Figure 4. c

A `pair of stop .bars 21 and 28 are positioned against respective bottom side edge `margins Vof the 'frog gplateylil, The `stop bar 21 is iixed in position by Welding and rivets 29, and the stop bar 28 is detachably secured by bolts 31. The frog plate is considerably wider than the base plate 2 and is laterally shiftable in both directions of the latter to a distance permitted by the stop bars 21 and 28, which abut against the side edges of the base plate. The frog plate is provided with a grease cup 35 and the top of the base plate is formed with channels 36 for lubricating the engagement of the frog plate on said base plate.

The relative positions of the rail members l5, 2D and 8 are such that said members will be in perfect alignment when the stop bar 21 abuts against the side edge of the xed base plate 2.

The aligned rail members I5, 20 and 8, together with the parallel track rail 30 provide the straight main trackway, as shown in Figure 1.

In like manner, the relative positions of the rail members I4, 2l and 9 are such that the latter will be in perfect alignment when the frog plate I9 is shifted laterally to cause the abutment of the detachable stop bar 28 against the adjacent side edge of the base plate 2. The aligned rail members I4, 2I and 9 in conjunction with the parallel track rail 3l provide the tangent trackway.

The ends of the rail members 20 and 2| are spaced from the respective ends 32 and 33 of the frog plate I9. The terminal of the pointed rail end 7 squarely overlaps and rests upon the top edge margin of the frog plate end 32, and the terminal of the spaced rail end I3 squarely overlaps and rests against the top edge margin of the end 33 of the frog plate I9.

The overlapping engagement of the top end edge marginsof the frog plate I9 by the-terminals of the rail ends 'I and I3, in the manner stated, constitutes a most important feature of the present invention. While such' engagement of said terminals upon the end edge margins of the frog plate will not interfere with the free lateral movement of the latter upon the base plate 2, such engagement will not only aid in maintaining the frog plate flatly in position upon the base plate, but will assure the constant level alignment and registration of the frog rails 2D and 2I with respective rail members of the rail ends 1 and I3 during the travel of engine and cars over theA frog structure.

It will be obvious that when a train is traveling on the main trackway and passing over the frog structure, the thrust of such transportation will tend to force and hold the stop bar 2'I against the vadjacent side edge of the base plate 2, and that when such travel is on the tangent trackway the thrust will tend to force and hold the stop bar 28 against its adjacent side edge of the base plate, whereby perfect rail alignments will be maintained at all times and under all conditions.

The frog plate I9 is freely shiftable in both lateral directions on the base plate 2 by means of any suitable operating mechanism, including connecting links 34 which are joined with either side edge of the said frog plate.

The present invention provides a mosteicient, durable and economical frog structure, as it is entirely constructed of rolled steel and assembled, instead of .being constructed of steel castings. The embodied rail members are made of sections of 'conventional track rails, and all involved plates are constructed ofrolled steel.

What I claim is: f

A Yrailway frog construction of the class described comprising the combination of a lixed at rolled steel base plate provided with lubri- 4 cating channels on the top face thereof, a pair of at rolled steel end plates fixed on respective end portions of said base plate, a flat rolled steel frog plate mounted on said base plate between said pair of end plates and being of a width considerably greater than the width of said base plate, the top surface of said frog plate being disposed on the plane of the top surfaces of said end plates, a lubricating element carried by said frog plate operable for supplying lubrication to said channels, a pair of converging pointed rolled steel rail members having a pointed end portion iixed on one of said pair of end plates, the terminal of said pointed end portion overlapping and seating on the adjacent end portion of said frog plate, a pair of converging spaced rolled steel rail members having the end portions thereof fixed on the other of said pair of end plates, the terminals of said spaced end portions overlapping and seating on the adjacent end portion of said frog plate, a pair of rolled-steel rail sections fixedly assembled on said frog plate in spaced relation to each other and having the ends thereof spaced from respec' tive ends of said frog plate, a pair of filler blocks disposed between and secured to respectiveend portions of said rail sections for reenforcing and maintaining the spaced relation of the latter, said frog plate being laterally adjustable in one direction on said base plate to position one of said pair ofrail sections in alignment with the terminal of said pointed rail members and withthe terminalof one of said pair of spaced rail members, said frog plate being laterally adjustable in the otherv direction on said base plate to position the other of said pair of rail sections in alignment with the terminal of said pointed rail members and with the terminal of the other' of said pair vof spaced rail members, and a stop bar xed at each bottom side edge portion of said frog plate and extendingthroughout the length of the latter for engaging respective side edges of said base plate torlimit the lateral adjustment movements of said frog plate on said base plate to distances providing the exact alignments of said rail sections with the ter minal of said pointed rail members and with re#- spective terminals of said pair of spaced rail members.

' ANTHONY L. VISSAT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS y Number Name l Date 402,830 Hoyt May 7, 1889 632,289 Threewits Sept. 5, 1899 778,183 Findly f Dec. 20, 1904 1,231,676 Vissat July 3, 1917 1,302,407

Morrow Apr. 29, 1919 

